Steering wheel



'Oct 6, 1931. c. R. FLANIGAN STEERI NG WHEEL Filed Aug. 14, 1928 C/mr/e f?. Flam' A vPatented ct. 6, 1931k CHARLES R. FLANIGAN, OF CLEVELAND, OHO, ASSIGNOR TO COLMBIA'AXLEL' COMPANY, F CLEVELAND, OHIO, A'CORPORATIONOF OHIO i STEERING wiiniii.

Application filed August 14. 1928.y SerialjNo. 299,479.

The present invention relates,'as indicated,

to steering wheels, and more patricularly to a novel mounting for steering wheels of automotive vehicles.

" wheels of an automobilel to kthe steering wheel thereof will be prevented. The invention is an exceedingly diflicult matter.

Amay beiised to some advantage also in the steering mechanism of boats and airplanes to n. prevent` the transmission to the steering wheel of shocks delivered to the rudder by waves of unevenness in air currents. A fur- Ather object of the invention is to provide a *steering wheel so constructed as to minimize the possibility of injury t'o an automobile driver in case of collision. Further objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds.

' fully described vand particularly pointed out in the claims;

The annexed drawings and the following description set forth in detail certainmechanism embodying the invention, such disclosed means constituting, however, but one Aof various mechanical forms in which the principle of the invention may be used. v

In said annexed drawings:

Fig. 1 is a section through a steering wheel and a portion of the steering column; Fig. 2 isa plan-view thereof; Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken substantially along the line 3 3 ofAFig. land looking inthe direction of the arrows; and Fig. 4 isk an enlarged fragmentary sectional view similar to Fig, 1.

Referring moreA particularly to the draw- 1 ings, it will be noted that the reference numeral 1Q indicates a tubular steering column l housed-'withinl a tubular post 11 and spaced from said post by arubber spacer 12` provided with annular grooves 13 to increase its resiliencyfa metallic bushing 14 being 1o-v cated between the spacer 12 and the col- S'aidcoluinn-isprovidedwith apluralit'y umn 10.

of longitudinal external ribs 15,'and adjacent the bases of said ribs said column is formed Vwith an annular groove 16 forl thereception Y The primary object of the'inventionl is to provide astructure whereby transmission of road shocks from the road of a spring ring 17. Ordinarily, steering wheels are directly mounted on the column through a metal to metal tapered press lit. The disadvantages oftliis arrangement will, be obvious, since, unless the machining is absolutely accurate, the set-up of thefwheels on a series of columns will not be-uniform, and since removal of the wheel from the column ing to the present invention, the groove 16 and the spring ring 17 form a uniform xed assembly point upon which-the remaining parts of the assembly may be setup.

To set-up an assembly according tothe present invention, the spacer 12 is locatedin the housing 11 and the column 10 is inserted therethrough and connected at its base to the steering mechanism. The'spring ring 17 'is then placed in position in the groove 16 and. a washer 18 provided with a rgroove 18 is slipped onto the column and pressed down into engagement' with the ring 17, the groove 18k receiving said ring. Thereafter, a metallic bushing 19 'provided with Ya plurality of longitudinally extending Ygrooves 2O for cooperation with the ribs jon the column '.10 is sleeved over said column and pressed down into engagementwith the upper surface of the washer 1 8. Said bushing is yex teriorly formed with a plurality of longi` tudinally extending ribs 21, as is most clearly shown in Fig. 3,

A rubberwasher 22 formed interiorly with grooves adapted to cooperate with said ribs. 21 is then'sleeved on said: bushing and pressed down into engagement with the upper surface of the washerl 18. A metallic spacer 23 is sleeved on said bushing 19 and has its lower surface in engagement with the rubber wash-1 er 22 and receives against-its upper surface thelower end of a rubber sleeve 24. Said Sleeve 24 is interiorlyr formed with grooves 25 toy cooperate with the ribs 21 and is exteriorly formed with grooves 26 parallel tov but spaced from said grooves 25. Thereafter, a metallic wheelhub 27 formed interiorily with ribs 28 for cooperationwith the grooves 26 is sleevedover said rubber sleeve 24 and Vis `pressed down 'until the lower tend jof an Accord.`

rubber collar 30 secured on said post 11. The parts are so proportioned that the lower ends 31 of said ribs 28 simultaneously come into contact with the upper surface of the spacer 23. p

A second metallic spacer 33 is then sleeved on the bushing 19 and is pressed down into engagement with the upper end of the sleeve 24 and the upper ends of the teeth 28. A second rubber washer 34 is mounted on said bushing to bear on said spacer '33 and a second metallic washer 35 is mounted on said column to bear on the upper end of the bushing 19 and on the upper surface of the rubber washer 34. The parts are all then secured in position by means of a nut 36 threaded on the upper end of the column l0.

The hub 27 is formed with an upwardly extending flange 37 to which screws 38 secure spokes 39. Saidvspokes are preferably formed of thin sheet steel of the best quality and having a. high index of resiliency, and the free ends of said spokes are bent upwardly as indicated at 40. As shown, the steering wheel proper is built up of a metallic tube 4l and composition 42 molded thereon. If such a wheel is to -be used, the bent ends 40 of the spokes 39 may be laid in contact with the inner surface of said tube 4l before the composition 42 is built up thereon, thus em bedding the said ends of t-he spokes in the composition. In case a wooden wheel is fused, the ends of the spokes may be secured in slots in the wheel by means of bolts, screws, rivets, or Aany other well known securing means. Other screws 43 secure to the flange 37 an escutcheon 44 hiding the screws 38.

Nested tubes 45 and 4G are mounted within the steering column l0 and `are `connected at their lowerends to elements to be 4controlled such as the light switch, the throttle, the timer or any other element on the vehicle. A disc 47 is secured to the upper end of the tube 45, and one or more hollow rivets 48 secure to said 'disc an annular cont-rol member 49 having a suitable linger piece. Similarly, the tube 46 carries at its upper end a disc 50 to which is secured by means of one or .more hollow rivets or studs 5l, a control member 52. The usual horn button is shown at It will .be seen that the above described construction providesa steerin g wheel assembly in which the wheel hub 27 has absolutely no metal to metal steering stress transmitting contact with the steering column l0. Any axial shocks yto the steering column will be largely absorbed by the rubber washers 22 and 34 without being transmitted to the hub, and any possible shocks which escape absorption in said washers are absorbed by the resiliency of the spokes 39. The hub r27 is connected for rotation to the steering column through lthe metal teeth 28 .to the metal teeth 21 through the medium Aof the soft rubber sleeve 24. Thus slight rotational shocks delivered to the steering column are absorbed by the sleeve 24. Thus it will be seen that the washers 22 and 34, the sleeve 24, and the resilient spokes 39 co-opera-te with each other to eliminate the transmission of road shocks from the road wheels to the steering wheel.

In case of a collision the resiliency of the spokes 39 will prevent to a large extent the injuries to the driver which are so often the result of the driver being violently thrown against the wheel.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invent-ion may be employed instead of the one explained, change being made as regards the mechanism herein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the following claims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and dis-y tinctly claim as my invention:

l. In a device ofthe class described, a steering column formed with a groove adjacent its upper end, a spring ring mounted in said groove, a washer mounted on said column, said washer being formed with a groove cooperating with said ring, a bushing mounted on said column Land bearing on said washer, a wheel having a hub mounted on said column surrounding said bushing and connected thereto, and means securing said washer and bushing against axial movement away from said ring.

2. In a device of the class described, a steering column formed with a groove adjacent its upper end, a spring ring mounted in said groove, a metal washer mounted on said column, said washer being formed with agroove cooperating with said ring, a metal bushing splined to said column and bearing on said metal washer, said bushing being externally formed with a plurality of longitudinal ribs, a rubber washer sleeved on the inner end of said bushing and bearing on said metal washer, an annular metal spacer sleeved on said bushing and bearing on the outer face of said rubber washer, a rubber sleeve mounted on said bushing, said sleeve being formed .internally with a plurality of longitudinal grooves corresponding with said bushing ribs, and said sleeve bearing at its inner end on said spacer, a plurality of longitudinal ribs externally formed on said sleeve and deining grooves, a steering wheel having a metal hub mou nted on said sleeve, a plurality of longitudinal teeth internally formed in said hub and corresponding with said sleeve grooves, the inner ends of said teeth bearing on said spacer, a second metal spacer' sleeved on said bushing and bearing on the outer end of said sleeve and on the outer ends of said huh teeth, a second rubber washer sleeved on said bushing and 4bearing on the outer face of said second spacer, a second metal washer sleeved onsaid column and bearing yon the Illo.;

outer end of said bushing and on the outer face of said second rubber Washer, and a nut threaded on said column end and bearing on said second metal Washer.

3. In combination with a steering column, a steering Wheel mounted on said column, and means connecting said Wheel to said column and including a rubber element for preventing the transmission of rotational shocks from said column to said Wheel7 and a pair of rubber members for preventing the transmission of axial shocks from said column to said Wheel.

Signed by me this 10th day of August, 1928.

CHARLES R. FLANIGAN. 

